# MapleStory Classic AP & SP guide: avoid old-build mistakes HTML source: https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/ap-sp Canonical HTML: https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/ap-sp Know what a point buys before you commit it. Editorial review: 2026-10-28. Official release announcements take precedence. Community sources can lag the live client. Source review is not in-game testing. Class tiers, build priorities and planning methods are editorial advice, not measured optimal builds or guaranteed leveling rates. ## At a glance - **AP:** Character attributes - **SP:** Skill investment - **First jobs:** Level 10 references - **Before advancing:** Check live restrictions ## AP and SP answer different questions AP shapes character attributes; SP develops skills. A weapon may require certain attributes before you can equip it, while a skill may require ranks in another skill before it unlocks. Solving one restriction does not automatically solve the other. Plan them on separate lines. For AP, write the next realistic equipment requirement. For SP, write the next usable skill and its prerequisite. This keeps a long future build from obscuring the decision you need to make at the next level. | Branch | Primary attribute | First instructor town | | --- | --- | --- | | Warrior | STR | Perion | | Magician | INT | Ellinia | | Bowman | DEX | Henesys | | Thief | LUK | Kerning City | - [MapleClassic Wiki: Warrior](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Warrior): Community skill table labelled pre-launch. Check the live skill window before spending points. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Magician](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Magician): Community class table; first job at level 10. Some older general SP pages still say level 8. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Bowman](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Bowman): Community class and skill prerequisites, labelled pre-launch. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Thief](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Thief): Community class and skill prerequisites, labelled pre-launch. ## A requirement worksheet that avoids surprises A rule such as “always add this much secondary stat” is only useful if it matches current equipment and formulas. A low-secondary-stat path may depend on equipment you do not own. Use the live item tooltip and a realistic budget before adopting it. - Choose one real item you can obtain and afford. - Read its level, job and attribute requirements. - Record permanent attributes separately from your current gear bonuses. - Remove any bonus supplied by equipment the new item replaces. - Allocate only after checking the gap and the cost of the whole purchase. ## Read the arrow between the skills An unlock is not a recommendation to max both skills immediately. Get the prerequisite you need, then judge the next investment against a concrete problem in your route. If every attack is weak because points are spread evenly, focus on making one reliable loop work. | Branch | Referenced unlock example | | --- | --- | | Warrior | Power Strike 1 → Slash Blast | | Magician | Energy Bolt 1 → Magic Claw | | Bowman | Arrow Blow 1 → Double Shot | | Thief | Nimble Body 3 → Keen Eyes | - [MapleClassic Wiki: Warrior](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Warrior): Community skill table labelled pre-launch. Check the live skill window before spending points. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Magician](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Magician): Community class table; first job at level 10. Some older general SP pages still say level 8. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Bowman](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Bowman): Community class and skill prerequisites, labelled pre-launch. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Thief](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Thief): Community class and skill prerequisites, labelled pre-launch. ## Why this site avoids a fake universal SP total The community SP page contains an older Magician example starting after advancement at level 8. The class pages now place all four first jobs at level 10. That contradiction changes any automatic point budget based on those starting levels. > We show skill priorities and documented unlocks, with the live skill window as the budget authority. A precise table built on the wrong starting level would be less useful than an honest conditional plan. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Skill points](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Skill_points): Contains an older level-8 Magician example that conflicts with current class pages. We do not use it to calculate an automatic SP budget. - [MapleClassic Wiki: Magician](https://mapleclassic.wiki/wiki/Magician): Community class table; first job at level 10. Some older general SP pages still say level 8. ## Before the level-30 advancement Check the unused points and any restrictions shown by the client. Review which skills you still intend to finish before confirming the next job. Do not assume first-job points can be saved for a second-job skill, and do not assume an inexpensive reset exists unless you can verify it in the current version. Take a note of your current allocation, equipment and ordinary training result. It gives you a useful reference when the new skills change your routine. If a guide disagrees with the client, pause the irreversible choice and verify the current rule rather than spending to match an old screenshot. ## A small decision tree for the next point This approach will not produce a universal strongest build. It produces a build you can explain and test, which is more valuable during a launch period where reference pages can lag behind updates. - No usable attack yet? Establish the prerequisite and main attack first. - Surviving but inefficient? Measure whether damage, misses, movement or recovery is the cause. - Frequently dying? Check target choice, positioning and resource use before assuming more damage is the fix. - Saving for new equipment? Validate its requirements and the bonuses you will lose. - Following a copied build? Check its game version, publication date and assumptions before the next allocation. ## Take your AP and SP plan to a class build Use the links in Keep exploring for each of the ten second jobs and four first-job foundations. Every build includes an equipment-driven AP example, a skill-priority table, an early-to-mid route and gear checks. The class tier list compares solo, single-target and party roles before you choose. | Foundation | Second-job builds | | --- | --- | | Warrior | Fighter, Page, Spearman | | Magician | Cleric, Ice/Lightning, Fire/Poison | | Bowman | Hunter, Crossbowman | | Thief | Assassin, Bandit | - [MapleStory Quest: launch class roster](https://maplestory.quest/classes): Checked 23 October 2026. Community client-data reference separates ten launch second jobs from historical CoT2 third jobs; it does not provide our tier placements. ## Related reading - [Class builds](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds) - [MapleStory Classic class tier list: launch jobs ranked](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/class-tier-list) - [MapleStory Classic second job guide: prepare for level 30](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/second-job) - [MapleStory Classic Warrior build: AP, SP & training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/warrior) - [MapleStory Classic Magician build: skills, AP & MP](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/magician) - [MapleStory Classic Bowman build: AP, SP & positioning](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/bowman) - [MapleStory Classic Thief build: claw, dagger, AP & SP](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/thief) - [MapleStory Classic Cleric build: Heal, party & mesos](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/cleric) - [MapleStory Classic Ice Lightning build: skills & maps](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/ice-lightning) - [MapleStory Classic Fighter build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/fighter) - [MapleStory Classic Page build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/page) - [MapleStory Classic Spearman build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/spearman) - [MapleStory Classic Fire/Poison Wizard build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/fire-poison) - [MapleStory Classic Hunter build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/hunter) - [MapleStory Classic Crossbowman build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/crossbowman) - [MapleStory Classic Assassin build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/assassin) - [MapleStory Classic Bandit build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/bandit) Original editorial guide text is offered under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Attributed community material retains its applicable terms. This does not relicense Nexon assets or the underlying ShipAny code.